The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-07-07
RUNNING AMUCK.'
A Sanguin ary' Custom Pecul-
lar to Oriental Chimes.
0pium-0ra2ed Men Seized With Sudden
Desire to Kill.

Uplum-Ura2ed men seized Win ouuden
Desire to Kill.
Two instances have recently appeared
in our columns of that strange and SAN
culinary custom of the East called "run-
ming amuck." ''Running amuck" is a
phrase derived from the Malay word
''amok" (''killing'D and constitutes
we'll marked hystcrical affection of GER
tain races inhabiting Oriental countries.
1t is rarely if ever, manifested among
the Indian Mussulmans, while, whenever
it docs occur in Hindoostan, the malady
may generally be traced to the abuse of
opium or the extract of hemp called
bhang, ganja, or charras. The Hindoo
tobacconist sells special confection
made up of bhang, opium, datura,
cloves, mastic, cinnamon, and carda-
NUNS, which is mixed with milk and
sug gar and eaten as a swcetmeat. This
diabolical cake known as majum-will
drive man mad about as soon as any
thing. With the Malays, however, who
have given name to the terrible mental
alteration of which we speak, and who
are by far the most addicted to it of all
Eastern people, there is seldom any
such explanation of the outbreak. Sud-
denly, without rhyme or reason, man
will spring up from his shop board or
couch, draw his kris-the wave bladcd
dagger which they all carry-and, with
a scream of "Amok Amok !" strike its
| point into the heart of the nearest way
farer and dart down the crowded bazaar
like the lunatic which he is, stabbing
and cutting on all sides. "Amok
Amokw echoes from hundred mouths,
and everybody hurres for a place OF
refuge, fleeing in all directions, except
those bo.der spirits who snatch up
weapons of defense and join the armed
throng which pursues the desperate.
The path Of the chase is soon strewn
with bodies of men, women and chill
dren, dead or bleeding TO death, until
some lucky shot or daring thrust disables
the murderer, who is pierced with a
dozen blades as soon as he falls to the
ground. Occasionally it turns out that
the "amokcr' has received some per-
sonal affront or injury or ,yas hopelessly
in debt or disappointed in love; but
more commonly there is nothing what
/ ever to account for the wild fury of his
proceedings, and the street swecpers
drag his carcass away as carccssly as if
leopard hal been slain in the public
streets. So ordinary, indeed, is the oc-
currence that in many towns and cities
where there lives large Malay popula-
tion an instrument is kept in readiness at
every police station called the "amoker
catcher" 1t is something like an eel
spear with very long handle, and SO
contrved that two elastic pointed spikes
close round the madman's neck and Sc.
cure him helplessly when the iron
i prongs are pushed against his nape
from behind.
Neither rank nor wealth keeps q
Malay from this sudden access of homi-
cidal mania if he has the prcdisposition
or has been greatly excited. There was
an instance at Salatiga, in the island of
Java, where the Regent was lebrating
the marriage of two of his daughters,
and everybody was in festive and joy
Gus mood. Just, however, at the gayest
moment of the ceremonies the Regents
brother-in-law, high official, came
rushing through the procession, stab
bing everybody he could get at with
his jeweled kris. The Regent himself,
coming up to inquire into the uproar,
was killed by single thrust, and i,
was the brother Of the Prince who ran
the 'amoker" through the back with a
spear and brought him down, yet moi
before he had slaughtered nine of the
palace people and wounded six other:
more or less severely. 1t might be supposed
that race subject to such fcrocious fit:
would be naturally cxcitable and
nervous in manner; but the contrary i,
the case. The Malay is of all men thu
most quiet, dienificd, and slow ofspeeci
and action in his ordinary life. He sci
dom speak, loudly or quickly. has thu
most courteous and even gentle de
meanor, and qaarrcls very rarely will
his fellows. Yet he is coldly ant
silently cruel; has no regard for human
life and derives from the Mohammedar
faith which he processes its bitterest and
most relentless dogmas. Once started on
the death iun" by insult, despair, o.
some brain trouble, his only thought il
to "kill, and kill, and kill" and in thu
fierce exultation of his insanity he doe
not feel the blow which lets out hi:
burning blood and puts stop to hi
dreadful career. ~ London Telegraph.
An AristOcratic Pair.
A-lt sz1A